NASHVILLE, Tenn. (May 4, 2024) – Nashville Soccer Club defeated CF Montréal 4-1 Saturday night at GEODIS Park, remaining undefeated all-time at home against the Canadian side (3W-0L-2T). The Boys in Gold were led by goal contributions from all three of their Designated Players: Hany Mukhtar (two assists), Sam Surridge (three goals), and Walker Zimmerman (one goal).
The Force Awakens: Saturday night's match against CF Montréal marked the first time this season that all three of Nashville SC's Designated Players have started a match together.
Goalbi-Wan Kenobi: Surridge became the second player in club history to score a hat trick (also Hany Mukhtar) after finding the back of the net in the 12th, 47th, and 82nd minutes for his first three-goal Major League Soccer performance. The Englishman’s three tallies mark his second brace as a Boy in Gold. Surridge leads Nashville SC this season with five MLS goals.
The Rise of SkyWALKER: In his first MLS start since returning from a knee injury suffered March 7 against Inter Miami CF in Concacaf Champions Cup, Nashville SC captain Zimmerman put the Boys in Gold on top 2-0 when he headed home a corner kick from Mukhtar in the 21st minute. Zimmerman has now scored three times while donning Nashville SC's Man in Black Kit (also Feb. 25, 2023 vs. NYCFC and Aug. 8, 2023 vs. Club América in Leagues Cup).
Next up: The Boys in Gold travel to North Carolina on Saturday, May 11 to face Charlotte FC at 6:30 p.m. CT at Bank of America Stadium. Nashville SC defeated Charlotte 2-1 on March 16 at GEODIS Park.
Match Timeline:
NSH 12’: Dru Yearwood slips a ball through Montréal’s backline to find Sam Surridge, who slots the ball home
NSH 21’: Hany Mukhtar sends in a corner kick, and Walker Zimmerman rises up to find the back of the net
NSH 47’: Hany Mukhtar as he enters the box with Sam Surridge, passes the ball to Surridge who secures a brace
MTL 65’: Mathieu Choiniere passes a ball into the box intended for Raheem Edwards, the ball deflects off Walker Zimmerman’s foot into the net
NSH 82’: Hany Mukhtar sends in a corner kick, and after a scrum in front of goal Mukhtar finds Sam Surridge in front for the hat trick
Notes:
Nashville SC:
- is 5W-1L-2D against CF Montréal in series history
- remains unbeaten against CF Montréal at home in series history (3W-0L-0D at GEODIS Park; 0W-0L-2D at Nissan Stadium)
- owns a 7W-2L-6D all-time record against all three MLS Canadian sides (CF Montréal, Toronto FC, Vancouver Whitecaps FC)
- improved its 2024 home record to 3W-1L-5D across all competitions
- extended its record in the Man in Black kit to 4W-4L-3D across all competitions; 3W-0L-1D at GEODIS Park
- saw all three Designated Players record goal contributions for the second time across all competitions and first time in MLS play (previously Aug. 8, 2023 in Leagues Cup Round of 16)
- recorded 3.93 expected goals (xG) to CF Montréal’s 0.92 recorded its highest shot total (19), shots on goal total (7) and expected goal (xG) total (3.93) of the 2024 regular season
- recorded four goals for the second time across all competitions in 2024
Hany Mukhtar
- has 102 regular season goal contributions with 60 goals and 42 assists
- recorded his first multi-assist match of the season; his first MLS multi-assist match since April 29, 2023 (a 3-1 victory against Atlanta United FC)
Alex Muyl led the team with two clearances
Jacob Shaffelburg led the team with five crosses
Sam Surridge
- recorded his first MLS hat trick
- led the team with 1.37 expected goals (xG)
- leads the team with five MLS goals this season
Dru Yearwood
- leads Nashville SC with three MLS assists this season (also, Jacob Shaffelburg)
- led the team with a 93% passing accuracy (minimum 30 passes)
- is Nashville SC’s only player to start all 10 MLS matches in 2024
Walker Zimmerman
- recorded his first goal of the season
- has scored in three matches across all competitions sporting the Man in Black kit
- sits fifth all-time among MLS defenders with 26 regular season + playoff goals; sits tied fourth (also Marcelo Balboa) for all-time leading scorers among MLS defenders in regular season
Box Score:
Nashville SC (2W-3L-5D) vs. CF Montréal (3W-4L-3D)
May 4, 2024 – GEODIS Park
Final Score:
NSH: 4
MTL: 1
Scoring Summary:
NSH: Sam Surridge (A: Dru Yearwood) 12’
NSH: Walker Zimmerman (A: Hany Mukhtar) 21’
NSH: Sam Surridge (A: Hany Mukhtar) 47’
MTL: Walker Zimmerman (Own Goal) 65’
NSH: Sam Surridge (A: Hany Mukhtar) 82’
Discipline:
MTL: Samuel Piette (Caution) 29’
NSH: AnĂbal Godoy (Caution) 57’
NSH: Alex Muyl (Caution) 62’
MTL: Victor Wanyama (Caution) 90’
MTL: Rida Zouhir (Caution) 90’ + 8
Lineups:
NSH Starters: Joe Willis; Jack Maher, Josh Bauer, Walker Zimmerman (C) (Brent Kallman 67’); Hany Mukhtar (Amar Sejdić 90’ +4), Jacob Shaffelburg (Taylor Washington 67’), Dru Yearwood (Tyler Boyd 67’), Alex Muyl, AnĂbal Godoy, Sean Davis (Tah Brian Anunga 78’); Sam Surridge
Substitutes: Elliot Panicco, Dan Lovitz, Teal Bunbury
MTL Starters: Jonathan Sirois; Fernando Alvarez (Gabriele Corbo 59’), Joel Waterman, Ruan (Rida Zouhir 59’), George Campbell, Raheem Edwards; Samuel Piette (C) (Victor Wanyama 88’), Bryce Duke, Mathieu Choiniere; Ariel Lassiter (Sunusi Ibrahim 59’), Jules-Anthony Vilsaint (Mason Toye 59’)
Substitutes: Sebastian Breza, Ilias Iliadis, Ousman Jabang, Logan Ketterer
Match Officials:
Referee: Rosendo Mendoza
AR1: Kevin Klinger
AR2: Matthew Nelson
4TH: Matthew Corrigan
VAR: Michael Radchuk
AVAR: Jonathan Johnson
Weather: Partly cloudy, 70 degrees
